Sweat by Lynn Nottage

SWEAT BY LYNN NOTTAGE MARCH 21 - APRIL 7

MARCH 20 APRIL 7 COCKROACH THEATRE I’VE STOOD ON THAT LINE, SAME LINE SINCE I WAS NINETEEN. I’VE TAKEN ORDERS FROM IDIOTS WHO WERE DANGEROUS, OR EVEN WORSE, RACIST. BUT I STOOD ON LINE, PATIENTLY WAITING FOR A BREAK. - Cynthia Sweat Setting:

READING, PA 2000 & 2008 This performance runs for 2hrs 15mins with a 15 minute intermission Co-commissioned by Oregon Shakespeare Festival’s American Revolutions: The United States History Cycle And Arena Stage World premiere produced by the Oregon Shakespeare Festival This production of SWEAT was first presented in New York by The Public Theater(Oskar Eustis, Artistic Director; Patrick Willingham, Executive Director)Originally produced on Broadway by Stuart Thompson and Louise L. Gund. *Member of Actors’ Equity Association, The Union of professional Actors and Stage Managers in the United States, appearing under a special appearaance contract.

BY / Lynn Nottage DIRECTOR / Daz Weller CAST / Joe Basso Tavius Cortez Stuart J. Elzy Kelly Hawes Monica Heuser* Ryan Mercier Torrey Russell Richie Villafeurte Maythinee Washington SET DESIGN / Alexia Chen LIGHTING DESIGN / Amanda Valdez COSTUME DESIGN / Christine Steele SOUND DESIGN / Toby Allen PROPS / Stacia Zinkevich FIGHT CHOREOGRAPHER/ASSISTANT DIRECTOR Axel Knight PRODUCTION STAGE MANAGER / Nichole Killion ASSISTANT STAGE MANAGERS / Sydney May Kamryn Shackelford Michael Bardocz

Lynn Nottage Lynn Nottage is a Pulitzer Prize winning playwright and a screenwriter. Her plays have been produced widely in the United States and throughout the world. Her most recent play, “Mlima’s Tale”, premiered at the Public Theater in May 2018. In the spring of 2017, “Sweat” (Pulitzer Prize, Obie Award, Susan Smith Blackburn Prize, Tony Nomination, Drama Desk Nomination) moved to Broadway after a sold out run at The Public Theater. It premiered and was commissioned by Oregon Shakespeare Festival American Revolutions History Cycle/Arena Stage. Other plays include “By The Way, Meet Vera Stark” (Lilly Award, Drama Desk Nomination), “Ruined” (Pulitzer Prize, OBIE, Lucille Lortel, New York Drama Critics’ Circle, Audelco, Drama Desk, and Outer Critics Circle Award), “Intimate Apparel” (American Theatre Critics and New York Drama Critics’ Circle Awards for Best Play), “Fabulation, or The Re-Education of Undine” (OBIE Award), “Crumbs from the Table of Joy”, “Las Meninas”, “Mud, River, Stone”, “Por’knockers” and “POOF!”. She developed “This is Reading”, a performance installation based on two years of interviews, at the Franklin Street, Reading Railroad Station in Reading, PA in July 2017. She is working with composer Ricky Ian Gordon on adapting her play “Intimate Apparel” into an opera, commissioned by The Met/LCT. She is currently an artist-in-residence at the Park Avenue Armory. Nottage is currently writing the book for the world premiere musical adaptation of Sue Monk Kidd’s novel “The Secret Life of Bees”, with music by Duncan Sheik and lyrics by Susan Birkenhead. It will premiere at the Atlantic Theatre Company starting on May 10, 2019, directed by Sam Gold. She is the co-founder of the production company, Market Road Films, whose most recent projects include “The Notorious Mr. Bout” directed by Tony Gerber and Maxim Pozdorovkin (Premiere/Sundance 2014), “First to Fall” directed by Rachel Beth Anderson (Premiere/ IDFA, 2013) and Remote Control (Premiere/Busan 2013- New Currents Award). Over the years, she has developed original projects for HBO, Sidney Kimmel Entertainment, Showtime, This is That and Harpo. She is writer/producer on the Netflix series She’s Gotta Have It, directed by Spike Lee. Nottage is the recipient of a MacArthur “Genius Grant” Fellowship, Steinberg “Mimi” Distinguished Playwright Award,PEN/Laura Pels Master Playwright Award, Merit and Literature Award from The Academy of Arts and Letters, Columbia University Provost Grant, Doris Duke Artist Award, The Joyce Foundation Commission Project & Grant, Madge Evans-Sidney Kingsley Award, Nelson A. Rockefeller Award for Creativity, The Dramatists Guild Hull-Warriner Award, the inaugural Horton Foote Prize,Helen Hayes Award, the Lee Reynolds Award, and the Jewish World Watch iWitness Award. Her other honors include the National Black Theatre Fest’s August Wilson Playwriting Award, a Guggenheim Grant, Lucille Lortel Fellowship and Visiting Research Fellowship at Princeton University. She is a graduate of Brown University and the Yale School of Drama. She is also an Associate Professor in the Theatre Department at Columbia School of the Arts. Nottage is a board member for BRIC Arts Media Bklyn, Donor Direct Action, Dramatist Play Service, Second Stage and the Dramatists Guild. She recently completed a three-year term as an Artist Trustee on the Board of the Sundance Institute. She is member of the The Dramatists Guild and WGAE.

The People of Sweat

The CTC staff, board and cast and crew of Sweat would like to thank: Vijaya Poulri, OogOog Productions, The Las Vegas Weekly, Cindi Moon Reed, Brackley Frayer and the UNLV Theatre Department, Lesley Boeckman, Kelli Groskopf, Keannak Parvaz, Cynthia Vodovoz, Derek Stonebarger, Sarah Thiele, Josh Rand, Alex Zhihang Gao, Rebecca Sass, Rie Tulali, Mila Mayorova, Super Summer Theatre, The Las Vegas Review Journal.

In the early 2000’s, with the dismantling of unions, jobs heading overseas and good paying work for skilled labor declining rapidly, millions of lower-middle class Americans who grew up believing in the American Dream- that if you worked hard for 30-40 years you would end up with a house that was paid for and a pension that would see you through your sunset years- were suddenly thrust into a world they had never known and were not prepared for. Lynn Nottage began writing Sweat in 2011 after a friend of hers who had dedicated years of work to one company suddenly found herself laid-off. Nottage set out to do research on towns that had been hit hard by the economic collapse, and discovered Reading, PA which had a poverty rate of more than 40%, the highest in the country. She began to spend a lot of time talking to locals and studying what life was like before and after Reading’s fall. The town had started out as an industrial city where people worked their entire lives manufacturing steel, textiles, and more. When the people of Reading lost these steady jobs, many grew bitter, impoverished, and felt betrayed. They turned to drugs, alcohol, anything they could get their hands on (Reading has one of the the highest heroin usage rates in the country). Nottage spent about 2 and a half years gathering true stories from the men and women who still lived there. She completed her play in 2015, and its premiere was held at the Oregon Shakespeare Festival before moving to Broadway. Nottage writes the characters in Sweat so we see them from all sides - no villains, no heroes - but a complex and human portrait of working Americans. Sweat won the Pulitzer Prize in 2017, and has gone on to inspire and reach out to thousands of working class Americans across the nation who feel like they are unrepresented and undervalued in their own country. This play shows that they do have a voice, and that they are not alone. - Axel Knight

C A S T

JOE BASSO stan

TAVIUS CORTEZ chris

STUART J. ELZY brucie

Joe Basso has been a consistent presence in the Las Vegas theatre scene since moving back to the area after many years in Los Angeles. “Sweat” marks his 6th appearance on the Cockroach stage. Past credits include “Death of a Salesman”, “Edmond”, and “The Christians”. He won the Las Vegas Valley Theatre Award for Best Supporting Actor in Table 8’s production of “Motel” in 2015. Joe is truly honored and humbled to be performing in this Pulitzer Prize winning play, and would like to thank Daz and the entire cast and crew for their tireless efforts. He would also like to thank his wife, Rachelle and daughter, Frankie for their love, support and patience. And lastly, Joe would like to thank you, the theatre goer, for supporting the arts.

I am Tavius Cortez, I am from Vallejo, California. I am a first generation college graduate from UNLV. I graduated with a bachelors in Stage and Screen Acting. My recent credits are: Character - Soldier, in Spanish Play “Canción de Cuna” by Rafael Guizado’s (The Lab LV Experimental Theatre Company) Character - Cory Maxson in “Fences” by August Wilson (NCT at UNLV) Character - Connor in “Good Kids” by Naomi Lizuka (NCT at UNLV)

Stuart J. Elzy is from Flint Michigan, where he began his acting career with McCree Theatre. He has done numerous plays, by August Wilson, Lorraine Hansberry, Kim Russell and Frances Hall. He has also done several Independent films. He enjoys acting on stage, film and stand up comedy. He currently is a physical education teacher in West Las Vegas.

KELLY HAWES jessie

Kelly is originally from Massachusetts. She graduated with her BA in theatre from University of Nevada Las Vegas. Kelly is thrilled to be onstage again at Cockroach Theatre. She has done multiple tours with Missoula Children’s Theatre as a theatre educator and actor/ director. Recent credits include Miss Prism in “The Importance of Being Earnest” (Nevada Conservatory Theatre), Laura in “The Father” (Cockroach Theatre Company), and Genie in “Aladdin” (Missoula Children’s Theatre).

MONICA HEUSER tracey

“Moe” is thrilled to make her Cockroach Theatre debut in “Sweat”. She earned a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Theatre from Northern Kentucky University. She has joyfully amassed 29 years of professional theatre credits and is a proud member of Actors’ Equity Association. Career highlights include: winning a 2007 IVEY Award for her portrayal of “Janis Joplin” in the musical “Love, Janis”; being sanctioned by the estate of Patsy Cline for her title role performances in the National Tour of “A Closer Walk with Patsy Cline” and in regional productions of “Always, Patsy Cline”; sharing the stage with legends Dick Van Patten & Frank Gorshin in the National Tour of “The Sunshine Boys”; and 10 1/2 years playing all 4 roles in “Menopause the Musical” in Las Vegas (with Cindy Williams), national tours, regional productions, and Singapore. A fellow of the Cabaret Conference at Yale, she continues to create/produce/perform one-woman shows and tribute concerts. She recently made her solo debut in “Under the Covers” at The Space Las Vegas (for which she is a founding circle member). And, after several years of training and investment, she is beginning a career in voiceover! For more information, please visit her website at www. monicaheuser.com Thank you, Daz and company, for this amazing opportunity. Thank you, Li, for your love and support. And thank YOU for supporting live theatre!

RYAN MERCIER jason

Ryan Mercier, born and raised in Las Vegas, began acting in children’s theatre when he was nine. Most recently he played Zacky Price in the Super Summer Theatre musical “Big Fish”. Other credits around town include George Holly “Suddenly Last Summer”, Barry Wheeler “Tony N’ Tina’s Wedding”, and Scott, Jake, or Ed “Evil Dead The Musical”. He is also the lead singer of an original alternative rock band called The Forget Me Nows (which may or may not ever play again) and the star of small commercials and industrial videos you’ve surely never seen before! Ryan is thrilled to be a part of Sweat and thanks Daz for the opportunity.

TORREY RUSSELL evan

MAYTHINEE WASHINGTON cynthia

Torrey Russell Is the proud Founder/ Artistic Director of Broadway In The H.O.O.D a local 501c3 non-profit organization dedication to training & educating youth and adults from rough backgrounds in theatre and the arts. Torrey is excited and honored to be making his Cockroach Theatre debut in “Sweat.” Please consider making a tax deductible donation to Broadway In The HOOD (Helping Others Open Doors) by texting HOOD to 41444 or visit us online at Broawayinthehood.org. Thank you & B-Blessed!

Maythinee Washington is proud to return to Las Vegas for Sweat after playing Konstantin “The Seagull” and Lady Macbeth “Macbeth” both for Atlanta-based Serenbe Playhouse, recently named one of the World’s 50 Most Innovative Companies 2019 by Fast Company. She was last seen at Cockroach Theatre Company in the lauded production of “Constellations” for which she was named Best Actress by KNPR’s Desert Companion in 2017. She is an alumna of The Royal Central School of Speech & Drama London and holds an MFA from the University of Washington.

RICHIE VILLAFEURTE costume design

Richie is very excited to be returning to the Cockroach stage. His last performance here was as VP in “The Elaborate Entrance of Chad Deity”. He has been performing regionally for more than a decade, his most recent credits include Angelo in Majestic Repertory Theatre’s “Measure for Measure”, the Assistant in “An Octaroon” , and Happy in “Clown Bar”. Richie would like to thank Daz for this amazing opportunity and his fellow cast mates for making it a fulfilling experience. Additional Thanks go to Mom, Dad, Rose, and Satoshi Nakamoto.

P R O D U C T I O N

TOBY ALLEN sound design

ALEXIA CHEN scenic design

NICHOLE KILLION production stage manager

Toby is thrilled to be working with Cockroach Theatre Company again. He has been entertaining Las Vegas crowds for the past 10 years as a member of the Australian pop vocal group Human Nature - with both “The Motown Show” and their current production, “Jukebox” at The Venetian. Human Nature have had a 30-year career selling more than 3 million albums worldwide and celebrating chart-topping success including #1 in Australia (2016) for their album - “Gimme Some Lovin’ - Jukebox Vol II”. Toby has previously done sound design for Nevada Conservatory Theatre’s “Macbeth”, Cockroach Theatre & Kinetic’s “Love Love Love” and Cockroach Theatre’s “The Father”. As a performer his credits include the role of Kenickie in “Grease - The Arena Spectacular” (2005) for Gordon Frost and his Helpmann and Mo Award winning portrayal of The Emcee in Sam Mendes’ “Cabaret” (2002/3) for IMG and Barry & Fran Weissler. Toby will play the lead role in the US premiere of Satango, opening at Cockroach in June.

Alexia is thrilled to work with Daz again at Cockroach Theatre Company. Her credits at CTC include the 2018 Valley Award-winning production of “The Father”, “The Christians”, and “Seven Deadly Sins” and “Erwartung”, a CTC collaboration with Sin City Opera. She has also designed for “Cat on the Hot Tin Roof” and “Suddenly Last Summer” for Super Summer Theatre’s off-season series in collaboration with Speeding Theatre. By day, Alexia is an architect at LGA. You might have seen her work at the Discovery Children’s Museum and DesertSol at the Springs Preserve. Alexia was the project manager who led UNLV’s team to compete and take home second place at the Department of Energy Solar Decathlon 2013. She has a BA in Theatre from the University of Hawaii at Manoa, and a Master of Architecture from the University of Nevada, Las Vegas.

Nichole Killion is the Resident Stage Manager for Cockroach Theatre. She has a BA in Stage Management, from Colorado State University. She has worked professionally as a stage manager in many fields of the performing arts including theatre, rock concerts, dance, fashion shows, and festivals. Her Las Vegas credits include “The Father” and “Every Brilliant Thing” (Cockroach Theatre) and “The Odd Couple” Female Version (LVLT). When she is not managing shows she is with her husband and two beautiful children.

AXEL KNIGHT fight choreography/ assistant director

Axel Knight is an actor and director from Las Vegas, Nevada. He is currently attending the University of Nevada Las Vegas, majoring in Theatre Studies and French. His most recent credits include directing Bard at the Bar’s production of “Twelfth Night” at the Velveteen Rabbit, and playing the roles of the Devil in “The Crucible” (Nevada Conservatory Theatre) and Cliff Bradshaw in “Cabaret” (Majestic Repertory Theatre).

CHRISTINE STEELE costume design

AMANDA VALDEZ lighting design

Christine Steele is an independent Costume Designer and Wardrobe Stylist who is currently working towards her masters from the School of Life. In 2002, Christine joined local production company Abe Froman Productions for her first professional shoot and was bitten by the production bug. Working her way from the art department, she used her eye for detail and asthetics and realized her passion in costumes and wardrobe. In Las Vegas, she’s styled everything from AT&T, McDonald’s, and Burger King ads, to music videos and still photography for Dierks Bentley, Trace Adkins, Stone Sour, Human Nature, and Prince to name a few. Having made a career styling for television, print, live corporate events, commercials, and award shows, “Sweat” will be Christine’s first play and she is elated to be cutting her theatre teeth.

Amanda received her MFA in Lighting Design from the University of Nevada, Las Vegas in 2018 and her professional work as a lighting designer has taken her both across and outside the country. Her experience has included a design fellowship at the Hanger Theatre in Ithaca, New York, working with a New York based broadcast lighting team, The Lighting Design Group, on the 3rd Presidential Debate during the 2016 election, and serving as a lighting associate to award-winning designers Simon Corder and Mike Robertson at the Barbican Centre in London England. Recent credits include White Lighting at Triad Stage, “Fences”, “Peter Pan”, and “The Bomb-itty of Errors” at Nevada Conservatory Theatre, “The Room” at Cherry Art Space, and “Way Out West” at Hangar Theatre. She now works as an architectural lighting designer for Shop12 Design. amandamarievaldez. com

DAZ WELLER director

Darren (Daz) Weller moved from Australia to Las Vegas in 2010 and is the Artistic Director at Cockroach Theatre Company (CTC). Darren graduated with a BA in Acting from the Queensland University of Technology in 1998 and has worked extensively with most of Australia’s major theatre companies including The Sydney Theatre Company, Company B Belvoir, Griffin Theatre Company, The Bell Shakespeare Company, Theatre of Image, Melbourne Theatre Company, Queensland Theatre Company and The State Theatre Company of South Australia. His US directing credits include: “Macbeth”, “Good K ids” and “The Crucible” at Nevada Conservatory Theatre, “Spinning into Butter”, “Seven Deadly Sins”, “The Father” and “Gianni Schicchi” at CTC, “The Piff the Magic Dragon Show” at The Flamingo, “The Small Space Festival” at Emergency Arts, As Resident Director: “Human Nature’s The Motown Show” at The Venetian Resort and Casino, and Spiegelworld’s “Vegas Nocturne” at Rose.Rabbit.Lie. inside The Cosmopolitan. Next he will direct the West Coast Premiere of “27”, an opera in 5 acts by Ricky Ian Gordon and Royce Vavrek for Opera Las Vegas and CTC. Since moving to Vegas he has appeared for; CTC in “The Christians” and “Love, Love, Love”; NCT in “The Hound of the Baskervilles”, “To Kill a Mockingbird” and “Pippin”; A Public Fit in “The Beauty Queen of Leenane”; Las Vegas Little Theatre in “Doubt”; The Las Vegas Shakespeare Company in “The Wizard of OZ” and “A MidSummer Nights Dream”. For Television, he was one of the lead cast members in the 11 part sketch comedy series “Double Take” for Freemantle Media and Channel 7 and has appeared in guest roles for many Australian broadcast network shows.

STACIA ZINCEVICH props master

Stacia Zinkevich has served as Props Master for numerous Cockroach shows including “Every Brilliant Thing”, “The Birthday Party”, “Edmond”, “Mr. Burns”, “The Nether”, and “Hir”. Other props credits include “Sideman”, “Titanic”, and “Veronica’s Room” with Las Vegas Little Theater and “Pirates of Penzance” with Sin City Opera/Super Summer Theater. Also an actress, she was seen as #8 in Cockroach’s production of “The Wolves” last season. Additionally Stacia is a member of “The Mother Fuppets” sketch comedy troupe and Found Door Theatre, who were awarded “Best of Fringe” at the 2017 and 2018 Vegas Fringe Festivals, respectively.

COCKROACH THEATRE COMPANY BOARD OF DIRECTORS Lauren Rosenblatt (Chair), Alexia Chen (Vice-Chair), Johnathon Fayeghi (Secretary), Jessica Scheitler (Treasurer), Matthew Neely, Ann C. Pongracz. ADVISORY BOARD Vijaya Poluri, Chuck Akin, Will Adamson, Scott McAdam, Lisa Howell. ARTISTIC & PROGRAMMING Artistic Director / Daz Weller Executive Director / Levi Fackrell Associate Producer / Kelly Hawes Casting Director / Jamie Carvelli Cockroach Incubator Directors / Jasmine Kojouri Brenna Folger FINANCE & ADMINISTRATION Accounts and Venue Manager / Marni Lewis MARKETING & COMMUNICATIONS Season Photographer / Robert John Kley Graphic Design / Annette Houlihan Verdolino Daz Weller TICKETING & BOX OFFICE Box Office Manager / Rebecca Kennard PRODUCTION Resident Stage Manager / Nichole Killion Event Director / Jami Jones Special Events Stage Manager / Amanda Peterson

Volunteers are the life blood of Cockroach Theatre Company. While we have been able to build a budget that supports a wage for our casts and crews, our staff positions remain completely volunteer. Thank you to all of our wonderfully committed staff who love creating theatre in Las Vegas as much as you love seeing it. If you or someone you know is interested in volunteering for CTC, we have many opportunities available. Visit us at cockroachtheatre.com/volunteer

SEASON SPONSOR Jaguar Land Rover Las Vegas COMMUNITY PARTNERS ReBar, Artifice Bar, EatMoreArtVegas.com INDIVIDUAL DONORS Mike Humel Brett Sperry Lysander Abadia K&D LLC Tod Story Toby Allen Andrew Kaempfer MaryAnne Taglia Bob & Jeri Amblad Glenn Kalaf Paul Thornton Paul Atreides Jane Karadbil Jeff Tidwell Keith Barker Benny Katz Nancy Uscher Joe Basso Martin Kaye Wendy Van Vacter Paul Beard John Klai Jane Walsh Susan K. Beck Norm Kresge Maythinee Washington Megan Belk Robert Laney Kai Wells Barnard A. Bernard and Alice Loy Thomas Wong Rebecca S. Bernard Dan Marks Jonas Woolverton Foundation Matthew Martello William and Sarah Wray Richard & Valerie Bernstein John Mattos Mace Yampolsky Cheryl Blevens Scott McAdam Kate Campbell Thomas & Elizabeth McGrath Angela Chan Matt Neely Tony Chaskelson Sarah O’Connell Douglas Crawford Harold Pearce Patricia Crown Rosemary Cunningham, M.D. Edward Placencio Gordon & Schyler Richards Susan Danielewicz Massimo & Alice Ronconi Lisa Davis Front Room Sarah Debruyn Giovanni & Gretchen Roselli Patty Donahue Lauren Rosenblatt Matt Donnelly Cathy Rosenfield Mark Ellis Suzanne Seguin Dina Emerson Robert Shupe Althea Fackrell John & Nancy Shepherd Russell & Brenda Frank Charlene Sher Harold A Fremer Robert Shupe Jim Gogert Ansul Singh Toni Gogert Stephen Sitar Norma Gratrix Jim Sohre Robert Gratrix Martin Hackett

Puccini’s

US PREMIERE

A SIZZLING NEW MUSICAL FEATURING some of vegas’ biggest names, HEART-PUMPING SONGS played by a live band AND AN OBSCENE AMOUNT OF TANGO!

SATANGO MUSIC BY STEWART D’ARRIETTA LYRICS AND BOOK BY JUSTIN FLEMING DIRECTED BY WAYNE HARRISON FEATURING TOBY ALLEN & SAVANNAH SMITH

june 6 - 23

COCKROACHTHEATRE.COM

27

Opera Las Vegas & Cockroach Theatre Company present

An Opera in 5 Acts MUSIC BY Ricky Ian Gordon LIBRETTO BY Royce Vavrek

Travel back in time to the inspired gatherings at 27 rue de Fleurus in Paris, where American expatriates Gertrude Stein and Alice B. Toklas hosted luminaries of art and literature such as Pablo Picasso, F. Scott Fitzgerald, Henri Matisse and Ernest Hemingway.

Five Stars Shine in All the Celebrated Roles

Mezzo Soprano Kimberly Gratland Jones, Gertrude Stein • Soprano Athena Mertes, Alice B. Toklas • Tenor Jorge Ortiz, Pablo Picasso, F. Scott Fitzgerald • Baritone Brian James Myer, Leo Stein, Man Ray • Bass-Baritone Aaron Pendleton, Hernri Matisse, Ernest Hemingway – plus more surprise luminaries!

April 25,27,28 - May 2,4,5 T I C K E T S

$20/25

O N L I N E

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geta Great drink special after the show Just show your program to the bartender